He Finally Said It
by It's Just Apple Pie
Summary: What did Booth say? Those three little words? THINK AGAIN... but read it to find out. Booth and Brenan bickering... Hacker and Booth measuring in front of Brennan. Again..
1. Chapter 1

The Lab.

"Bones, Hacker wants to see us." Booth told me, running a hand through his hair. He was in his black suit, with a white shirt, and a tie that had smiley faces printed all over it. I looked down to check his socks, and they had a yellow, thing, with holes in it, wearing…brown squared pants.

Must be a cartoon. Right?

From Family Man?

No, that's not right.

"Bones? You there?" Booth asked, waving his hand in my face, trying to get my attention.

"I'm right here. What does Andrew want?" I asked, trying to snap out of my thoughts.

Booth stopped dead. Well, he wasn't…dead. He just stopped. Then he shivered.

Was it because I wasn't looking at him?

Or because he…

Why would Booth _shiver_?

"So you and him…you still going out?" He asked. Oh.

Why would he think I was going out with Andrew?

What did 'going out' even mean?

Booth and I went out for drinks, or dinner all the time. Did that mean _we_ were going out?

Why would Booth care if I drank with some one else?

"Why?" I challenged.

"I…Bones! He's my boss' boss…I was just wondering."

"So what does he want?" I asked, changing the subject.

"That is for me to know and for you to find out."

"I don't know what that means." I told him, annoyed by that cocky smile that brightened up his face. Damn him.

Why did Booth make my stomached flutter?

FBI building.

"Agent Booth…Temperance"- Andrew started, and Booth started coughing right when he said my name. Is that why Booth called me 'Bones'? - Because he didn't like my real name? "The borough is evaluating partners, to get a sense of their strengths and weaknesses-" Andrew continued.

"We don't have weaknesses. Just look at our solved cases, the newspapers, our paper work. You don't need to evaluate."

"Agent Booth, it's just a courtesy. Some members are worried about your partnership. You have to prove to them you can still work together. Let's stay professional, here." Andrew smiled- but it was off, it was fake. Andrew's smiling was mocking.

Booth never faked a smile.

He mocked, but he didn't fake.

"Bones and I are always professional. Maybe it's _your_ lack of professionalism that is throwing me off." Booth spat, his alpha male tendencies showing off.

"Calling your partner _bones_ is hardly protocol." Andrew informed Booth.

Now I was getting mad. Booth and I are _always_ professional- even if I can't stand the tension; nothing ever happens that friends and partners wouldn't do.

"And Temperance is any better?" Booth shot right back. They were moving towards each other- their hands and jaws clenched.

"What kind of evaluation? I thought Dr. Sweets was in charge of all evaluations." I cut in.

"The borough needs some one who isn't biased to do this."

"And the fact that you and _my_ partner are sleeping together isn't a conflict of interest for them? Or for you?'

"I'm not sleeping with him!" I said, out raged. Booth should know that I never slept with him, if anyone should.

"Really?" Booth asked, but he wasn't seriously considering my words. Why didn't he believe me?

"Agent Booth, we are not sleeping together." Andrew said, trying to calm down his voice.

"I'm sure." Booth said, sarcastically.

"I swear- I never slept with him, Booth."

"That means a lot, Dr. Brennan- coming from someone who doesn't believe in god." Booth snapped.

"Is that why you don't want me?" I whispered, forgetting that Andrew was even alive. I forgot that I ever 'went out' with Andrew Hacker. All that matter was that Booth had just called me 'Dr. Brennan'. Why would he do that?

"Is that why you don't want me?" I repeated. "Because I don't believe in god?" I clarified.

"What?" Booth asked, and I didn't look at him, I just turned my attention to my feet.

I couldn't look at him.

It was weak. It was like back in the foster care system, when I couldn't look _anyone_ in the eye, because I was scared.

Except this wasn't just scary.

The fact that Booth didn't want what I wanted because of god- the god that I don't believe in- made me feel like I didn't deserve him.

"Is that why?" I pressed.

"Bones, what are you talking about? I…I-"

"It's okay. Really. I just…never mind. I was being naïve, and I was hoping…I was _praying_ that maybe…but never mind."

"Maybe what?"

"Never mind. Forget it."

"Why do you care if I don't want you?"

I gasped. "Oh." I whispered.

He said it.

Out loud. He admitted that we had nothing between us, besides partnership, friendship, and empty coffee cups.

I felt as my chest tightened.

I felt as my stomach fluttered.

I felt as I shook.

I felt as it became harder to breathe.

I felt as my eyes started to burn.

I felt as it felt, when I knew time was running out, under the ground, when the gravedigger captured Hodgins and I.

I felt like my time had run out.

I knew that I was setting my self up for the worst when I allowed my self to hope that he might feel _something_ with me. Anything.

But he didn't.

No. I should have known that my partner never felt the same as I did.

I was supposed to be good at compartmentalizing, but instead I fell in love with my _partner_. Booth was supposed to be the emotional one.

I guess _us_, did cross his mind, but he didn't want us to be together, beyond coffee.

I should have known.

He _had_ said we were only friends, partners a lot. _All the time_.

It was supposed to feel good when he admitted everything was nothing, so why was I about to cry?

When I should be relieved?

"Bones? Why do you care?" Booth was concerned, and confused.

"Because." I said, but it came out as a throaty whisper. Wiping frantically at my eyes, and turning to Hacker, realizing he was still here. "Are you ready for lunch?" I asked him. He nodded. We started out the door.

"Bones?" Booth asked, behind us, and when I didn't reply, he followed after us. "Bones?" He asked again, louder.

My only reaction was, at most, a twitch.


	2. The Constant

Booth stared after her dumbfounded- he decided it was better to give her space, perspective.

She liked perspective.

What had he said? Why didn't she answer the question? And more importantly what was Hacker doing with her? Was she eating his fries off his plate? Did she let him feed her? Did he order apple pie? Did he offer it to her?

What was he saying about me? Why did he feel the need to evaluate our partner ship?

When had I lost my balls? When had I forgotten that we weren't compatible? When had Angela stopped teasing us, and started guiding us?

When had this gotten so confusing? When had I become a scared little boy, who didn't know how to show my feelings?

When had calling her Bones switched from a way to annoy, to a way to claim her?

Since when had the geeky scientist, who was socially awkward, become the most adorable, loveable thing, in the world?

Since when had Seeley Booth not been able to control of his actions?

Since when had Seeley Booth let someone make him feel so inferior?

Since when had Seeley Booth felt so small?

Booth realized that he had to run after her, because why watch her leave? It's not like he had any pride left to preserve.

"Hey!" Booth called, catching up to them quickly, and grabbing her arm.

She swirled around, rage pouring out her eyes, "Let go." The venom in her voice, towards me, froze me, but when I realized she in fact was looking at me like I was disgusting, I gripped her harder. "Let go now, Booth." She didn't even try to hide her distain, and her voice was shaky. It was so disturbing to hear her use that tone with me- To hear her voice drip with so much feeling- bad feelings- because of me.

I pushed closer to her face, not quite sure if I was in control, or if my feelings were. And what was the difference now anyway? My feelings for her, about her, defined me. What was I without her?

"Never." I spat, my nose almost bumping hers.

That's when Hacker stepped in- Or at least tried to. "Agent Booth, you're hurting her."

I whipped my eyes away from Bones, and looked at Hacker- he was serious, and scared, he was scared of me! I laughed, and turned back to Bones, "If she was hurting she would fight back."

"Maybe you're underestimating your strength, Booth. Do you often grab her like this?"

A pang filled my heart, when I realized that Hacker's words matched up- almost.

Bones wasn't fighting back because she couldn't- not physically- but mentally. She was mentally shocked, her eyes were far away, back to the foster system, no doubt.

I jumped away from her, looking at my hands, then back at her- what was wrong with me? How could I allow my self to _grab_ her?

"I'm s-sorry, Bones. Fuck," I combed my hands through my hair, harshly, pulling it out of its roots. "I'm so sorry."

She was scared. She was back to her foster days, when she was 15 and she was scared.

Shaking.

"Damn, I just… I lost it. Because I just, Bones, oh," I took a step toward her, expecting her to move away, but she stood her ground.

I dared to take another step.

And another, until I was close enough to hug her.

She let her hands drop to her side, and then she finally looked at me.

"Don't apologize." She whispered.

"No. Bones. I… I was just so mad, cause you were walking away and…"

"Stop, Booth." She was disturbingly calm, "I know how you feel now. You don't need to pretend. We tell each other everything, remember?"

Booth fell silent. She _knew._

"Do you want anything to do with me?" I asked, looking her square in the eye, my heart beating fast. I had pictured this moment countless times, and now it was here. She knew, I knew she knew. And nothing would happen. She didn't feel the same.

I had never taken that into consideration.

"Of course I do." She gazed back at me, sincere, her whole heart there for me to see- She wanted to be my partner.

Friends.

I could do that- I would never betray her.

We must hold. I have to keep looking. She has to keep looking.

At least I know that she's looking for the same thing, and I don't have to worry about her finding me out, and leaving.

She would stay. We would stay. Constant.


End file.
